This is great news and I really hope all airlines let us someday wheel directly into the plane. It will save lots of money on labor with staff trying to load us on as well as damage to our chairs.
Agreed! Most importantly it will open air travel to so many who can't endure hours-long flights apart from their wheelchairs. It's time to make airplanes a place where the right to equal access is respected.
I have not been on an airplane since 1991 . I am so excited to get back on a plane with my chair and not worry about being humiliated because of my loss of bladder control. .
This is a tremendous step in the right direction and I believe it will move up two timelines — the regulatory one, and the ultimate installation of a wheelchair space on the first airplane. Once a viable option is available to the market, there will no longer be a reason for governments to delay in establishing a mandate.
Let's hope this works out. My Quantum power chair has electronics on the back end. Mid-wheel drive means back wheel set extends out beyond electronics. Sort of like parking a full-size Winnebago in the economy seats.
I appreciate the airlines doing this. My next dream wish is that there be an accessible family style bathroom on each large passenger jet. Too much to hope for? Moms with babies would love it too.
Interesting. Aisle “chairs” are not something that would be hard to say goodbye to! Mixed bag of being impressed and skeptical. A consortium of all the “types” of wheelchair-users to evaluate this project carefully and methodically is needed. In my 37 years of using a chair, I’ve mostly encountered ppl in positions of relative greater power doing things FOR ppl who use chairs without themselves BEING one of those people, nor actually including users in the PROCESS (before saying TA-DAH!) nor really digging into ALL that it means in practical terms…and all kinds of pressures and aims can impede getting it right for real users. ANSI is on paper but needs to live and breathe through humans. Especially this, where there surely really is not ANSI to look up, there should be all types🦽 ♿️ 🦼 considered and TESTED TESTED TESTED, not rushed. All aspects of what it means should be gone over w fine tooth comb by USERS. Not just engineers or the like. (And, for all I know, they did this.) Kudos for progress this represents. good luck. Thanks for heads up!
We have been waiting for something like this for years. I wish I could be there with you in Hamburg for reasons beyond my control Do that they will Ever have an expo in New York Jacob, Jarvis convention center?
Concerned about maneuvering especially for elderly and those who cannot turn head to look behind them. Also concerned about where the room in front of the seat row will come from in order to maneuver- isn’t there usually a bulkhead wall there? It’s a great start though.
I'm dependent on an electric wheelchair, I hope this system works for us. I've been trying to get a lawmaker to write law forcing insurance companies to pay to adapt our vehicles. Wheelchair lifts are a necessity not a luxury.
WOW,AMAZING . Thanks for your advocacy. I have not been on a plane since 1991 and this just means so much to me, and to others. I will get to see my grand children in England in person not just FaceTime (although thank God for FaceTime). I hope it happens soon. Nice again everything you do for us. I sent a small donation for Germany.
Thank you Sharon. My reason for not going on an airplane w/o my chair in the plane w/me not w/luggage, is because I have bathroom issues. And if I’m going to be embarrassed, I want to be embarrassed on my own chair, not one of their seats or chair. I don’t know who would be transferring me from seat to seat, but that’s horrible for them. In conclusion, I’m extremely excited for the securements.
There is a god!! This is much needed for wheelchair users. Please all airlines invest so wheelchair users can ride in the comfort of their own chair safely!!
This is great news and I really hope all airlines let us someday wheel directly into the plane. It will save lots of money on labor with staff trying to load us on as well as damage to our chairs.
Agreed! Most importantly it will open air travel to so many who can't endure hours-long flights apart from their wheelchairs. It's time to make airplanes a place where the right to equal access is respected.
I have not been on an airplane since 1991 . I am so excited to get back on a plane with my chair and not worry about being humiliated because of my loss of bladder control. .
Please comment after your visit about how a wheelchair bound person would be able to use the bathroom.
Lorraine, I certainly hope wheelchairs in the cabin leads to greater access in airplane lavatories — Here's an article on how I use airplane lavatories now: https://wheelchairtravel.org/air-travel/wheelchair-accessible-lavatories/
Finally! WAHOO! Can't wait to hear your views and timeline from Delta
This is a tremendous step in the right direction and I believe it will move up two timelines — the regulatory one, and the ultimate installation of a wheelchair space on the first airplane. Once a viable option is available to the market, there will no longer be a reason for governments to delay in establishing a mandate.
Wow. This would change so much. Thanks for the advocacy.
Let's hope this works out. My Quantum power chair has electronics on the back end. Mid-wheel drive means back wheel set extends out beyond electronics. Sort of like parking a full-size Winnebago in the economy seats.
This certainly won't be the final design, but I will be sure to explore the space constraints of the prototype!
Yay!!!!
I appreciate the airlines doing this. My next dream wish is that there be an accessible family style bathroom on each large passenger jet. Too much to hope for? Moms with babies would love it too.
Interesting. Aisle “chairs” are not something that would be hard to say goodbye to! Mixed bag of being impressed and skeptical. A consortium of all the “types” of wheelchair-users to evaluate this project carefully and methodically is needed. In my 37 years of using a chair, I’ve mostly encountered ppl in positions of relative greater power doing things FOR ppl who use chairs without themselves BEING one of those people, nor actually including users in the PROCESS (before saying TA-DAH!) nor really digging into ALL that it means in practical terms…and all kinds of pressures and aims can impede getting it right for real users. ANSI is on paper but needs to live and breathe through humans. Especially this, where there surely really is not ANSI to look up, there should be all types🦽 ♿️ 🦼 considered and TESTED TESTED TESTED, not rushed. All aspects of what it means should be gone over w fine tooth comb by USERS. Not just engineers or the like. (And, for all I know, they did this.) Kudos for progress this represents. good luck. Thanks for heads up!
We have been waiting for something like this for years. I wish I could be there with you in Hamburg for reasons beyond my control Do that they will Ever have an expo in New York Jacob, Jarvis convention center?
Concerned about maneuvering especially for elderly and those who cannot turn head to look behind them. Also concerned about where the room in front of the seat row will come from in order to maneuver- isn’t there usually a bulkhead wall there? It’s a great start though.
Wow. It is almost too good to be true. Would love to see a timeline for implementation.
This is great and long overdue!!
I'm dependent on an electric wheelchair, I hope this system works for us. I've been trying to get a lawmaker to write law forcing insurance companies to pay to adapt our vehicles. Wheelchair lifts are a necessity not a luxury.
WOW,AMAZING . Thanks for your advocacy. I have not been on a plane since 1991 and this just means so much to me, and to others. I will get to see my grand children in England in person not just FaceTime (although thank God for FaceTime). I hope it happens soon. Nice again everything you do for us. I sent a small donation for Germany.
Thank you Sharon. My reason for not going on an airplane w/o my chair in the plane w/me not w/luggage, is because I have bathroom issues. And if I’m going to be embarrassed, I want to be embarrassed on my own chair, not one of their seats or chair. I don’t know who would be transferring me from seat to seat, but that’s horrible for them. In conclusion, I’m extremely excited for the securements.
There is a god!! This is much needed for wheelchair users. Please all airlines invest so wheelchair users can ride in the comfort of their own chair safely!!
I long for the days when the flight attendants ask us to tilt our chairs to an upright position for landing😊
That’s funny.